Swivel conveyer and means for mounting and driving the same



Aug.11, 1953 R. w. KLING 2,648,422

swIvEL coNvEYER AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND DRIVING THE SAME Filed July 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet l R. W. KLING SWIVEL CONVEYER AND MEANS F'OR Aug. l1, 1953 2,648,422

MOUNTING AND DRIVING THE SAME 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed July 28, 1950 Aug. 11, 1953 R. w. KLING 2,648,422

SWIVEL CONVEYER AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND DRIVING THE SAME Filed July 28, 1950 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR.

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R. W. KLING SWIVEL CONVEYER AND MEANS FOR Agg. 11, 1953 2,648,422

MOUNTING AND DRIVING THE SAME'.

4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed July 28, 1950 INVENTOR. jfoefz( @ff/z' Patented Aug. 11, 1953 SWIVEL CONVEYER AND MEANS FOR MOUNTING AND DRIVING THE SAME Robert W. Kling, Chicago, Ill., assignor to Athey Products Corporation, Chicago, Ill., a corpora.-

tion of Illinois Application July 28, 1950, Serial No. 176,336

3 Claims. 1

j This invention relates to a new and improved form and arrangement of a swivel conveyor and the' meansfor adjustably mounting it on a loader, or the like, and for driving such conveyor in its various adjusted positions, such conveyor being of a type adapted to be swung horizontally to either side of the machine or to be swung vertically into a position of adjusted elevation.

It is the principal object of the invention to provide improved mounting and driving means for such a swivel conveyor, which shall be of very simple arrangement, easily and cheaply manufactured, highly effective in operation, and of great Strength and durability.

To this end, I have provided driving means for the conveyor comprising two universal joints, together with means for supporting said universal joints independently of each other, with one of said universal joints supported from the machine on which the swivel conveyor is mounted, and the other universal joint supported from said conveyor. In this improved construction, the universal joints are connected together for the transmission of power to the conveyor in its various adjusted positions by means of driving. lconnections of variable length, such for example as two telescopically connected shafts keyed for rotation together. The arrangement is such that the universal joints automatically move to their proper positions both horizontally and vertically for the desired smooth driving effect.

' It is anotherobject of my invention to provide improved side boards for my conveyor, together with improved means for controlling the position of such side boards, so as to make them effective in the different positions of the conveyor as it is swung horizontally; to provide improved means for supporting the conveyor in adjusted angular position vertically; to provide improved means for swinging the conveyor horizontally to vthe various desired adjusted positions; and to in which similar reference characters indicate similar parts throughout the several views.

In the four sheets of drawings: Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of a portion of aloader equipped with my improved swivel conveyor structure, wherein the swivel conveyor is machine upon which it is used;

in a position extending longitudinally of the Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the apparatus as shown in Fig. 1, but with the swivel conveyor in angled position swung toward one side, and showing by dotted lines a changed angular position of the swivel conveyor;

Fig. 3 is a horizontal sectional View taken substantially at the line 3-3 in Fig. l, but with the swivel conveyor indicated by dotted lines in a position swung to one side, as shown by solid lines in Fig. 2, and with two universal joints and associated conveyor driving parts indicated diagrammatically by dot and dash lines;

Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line 4 4 in Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged view of a portion of the structure as shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken substantially at the line 6 6 in Fig. 5; and

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially at the line 'I-l in Fig. 6, with a portion broken away to show details of the structure.

Referring now to the exemplary embodiment of the invention as disclosed in the accompanying drawings for purposes of illustration, I5 and I E indicate upright frame members of a machine adapted to pick up and elevate materials for loading into trucks, or the like, the machine being supported by carrying Wheels I'I, only one of which is shown, and including an elevating conveyor structure IB of any approved type adapted for handling materials. In the construction illustrated, the elevating conveyor structure I8 embodies a heavy shaft I9 having a supporting cylinder or drum 2li mounted thereon so as to support a wide conveyor belt 2i of rubber or other suitable material; such shaft I9 being driven by a sprocket wheel 22 (see Fig. ll) from a suitable source of power on the loadingmachine.

As is shown in Fig. 3, a beam 23 connects the mid-portions of frame members I5 and IE, with parallel beams 24 secured thereto and extending rearwardly from the loading machine to provide support for a platform 25 at the rear end to one side of the machine. An obliquely positioned brace bar 26, yconnected at its lower end with the upright frame member I5 and connected at its upper end with one of the beams 2li, serves to reinforce the platform for holding it rigidly in position. At about the middle of the machine transversely thereof, a heavy brace beam 21 is provided in oblique position connected at its upper end with the beams 24 and connected at its lower end with the framework of the loader at a point between the uprights I5 and I6.

. clding portions type which are arranged swing such side On the platform 25, a turntable 29 is mounted (see Fig. 6) so as to be rotatable about a vertical axis, supported by a plate 3U and heavy ring 3|, with a series of bearing balls 32 interposed therebetween and running in opposed circular grooves; a heavy bolt or pin 33 serving to hold the parts in their aligned working positions. A collar 34 carried by a plate 39 assists in holding the parts in centered position with respect to each other and serves to protect the bearing against the entrance of dust or the like.

On the turntable 29, a heavy shaft'35 is fiXedly mounted in a horizontal position, with plates 36 interposed between the turntable and the'shaft for enabling the shaft to be secured readily byr welding at positions spaced longitudinally thereof. On opposite ends of the shaft in its fixed position on the turntable, I have bearing sleeves 31 mounted for rotational movement; said bearing sleeves having plates 38 and 39 welded to their outer ends so asto form cap members providing pivotal supports for vertical swinging `movements ofthe swivelv conveyor, and the side bars 40 of the conveyor beingv secured by bolts 4l to said plates-38 and-39.

As is shown in Fig. l, a jack 42 of any approved type has its lower end connected through a universally movable joint 42a to an intermedi- Y ate portion of the obliquely positioned brace beam 2-1; the vertical axis of the joint 42a being in alignment with the axis of the turntable 29. The upperend of the jack 42 is pivotally connected by diverging barsv 43 with intermediate portions of the side barsv or beams 40' of the swivel conveyor; the arrangement being `such that an adjustment of the jack '42 `serves to swing the swivel conveyor upwardly or downwardly about the shaft 35. Such vertical adjustment of the swivel conveyor may be made without regard to the angular position of the conveyor laterally of the machine, by reason of the fact that the vertical axis-of the turntable is aligned with the vertical artis" of theljoint 42a on which the jack is connected to'- the machine frame. The jack 42 is preferably of a type adapted to be `adjusted manually. n

i Assh'o'wn in Figs. 2 and 5, the swivel conveyor embodies la wide endless belt 44 of rubber or kothersuitable material carried by rotatable cylindrical supporting rollers 45 rotatably mounted on shafts"46 adapted to turn freely in pillow blocks 41 secured to the upper surfaces of the -side'beams 40' of the conveyor. At opposite sides, the conveyor is provided with side boards 48 in- 49 at the inner ends thereof, as 'shown' inmFigs. l, 2 and 4, which are mounted to open outwardly from the general plane of the side boards. For permitting the outward movement of the' portions 49, while normally retaining their upright positions in the general plane "of the side boards, they are mounted relative to hinges of any suitable to resiliently bias the portions to their raised positions.

In my improved construction, arms the side boards by spring 50 are mounted at opposite sides of the rear end of the elevating conveyor; the arm at either side of "the conveyor being in position to engage the inner face of the adjacent movable side board portion 49 whenthe conveyor is swung toward either side, and being adapted by such engagement to board portion downwardly in an amount dependent upon the extent to which the conveyor is swung toward its extreme position of lateral movement in one direction. The arms 50 are supported rigidly in position by angle bars 5I xedly mounted on the framework of the machine, as shown in Fig. 5.

In my improved construction, it is important that the front end of the swivel conveyor be p0- sitioned at only a short distance below the rear endl of the elevating conveyor |85 so fas to keep to a minimum trie height to which trie-elevatmg; conveyor must extend and to keep to a minimum. the distance through which the material is' thrown in its movement from the elevating con-i veyor to the yswivel conveyor and thus cutting down the force of the impact of the material on the 'swivel conveyor. This close positioning ofthe two conveyors as shown in Fig. l is made possible by the use of the hingedly mountedrside board portions 49. When saidi side portions 49 are held in their raised positions by the spring hinges, they tend to prevent pas-- sage of material over the sides of the swivel conveyor `as such" material' is dischargedffromthe elevating/conveyor. When the swivel conveyor is' swung to a-A substantial distance-towardeither side' ofthe machine; saidside' board portions are lowered outI of theway" so; as-"not tofinterfere swivel conveyor, I 'have' provided* a baffle plate:

comprising a rubber'sh'eet'-52-f-with1fits end portions,v heid ai. substantially fight'- a'ngies. and: se-

cured to the` end ofthe elevating conveyoriirr position to deflect the"niaterialbeing'delivered from the end of theelevating con-veyor Illano; to' directsuch `material efi'ectively'to the underlying endof theswivel' conveyor-"441 The? rub- The means, as`A shown,forl swingingl the swivel conveyorhorizont'ally about the ax-is' of "the" turntatie ze comprises a cyiifiiiersszhiivinfgv a piston rod'56Y and piston56af s'lidably mounted therein,

`saidcylinder being'-v pivotall'y' connected rlat` one end to theupright bea-In 15, as showniin Figp. Theendof thepistonfrodSl is pvotally oonnected to' the turntable'- atv a vsubstantial distance from jthe axis of turning'. movei'n'eritv thereof.

' iexibie tubes 51 andA se operatively connected cylinder for swingingtheturntable-and the swivel conveyor to vthe'desir'ed angular position with respect to the machine as a'whole. y In the construction illustrated,l 'the swivel :conveyor yis adaptedto' beswung thrc'rughl an' angle ofabout 45 to either sidel of fthe longitudinal center line 'ofthe elevating conveyor.

The means' illustrated' yfordriving :the f swivel 44 comprises ashort shaft 59 (Figs. 1 and 5)' rotatablymountedon-Sthe"framework of 'themachine adjacent to Y.the upright ,beamV I 5. This shaft is driven from the drive'zmechanism for the main elevatingA conveyor and isfprovided chain 6l and sprocket 'Sfwith a/short shaft 53,

vwhich latter vshaft i's'rotat'ably supported onfthe a vslee've 61v so as' to 'cause theV sleeve :to rotate i with iiie shaft. "Trie sleeve t1V is rigidly connected with a second sleeveI 68', which:l in vturnis rigidly connected with a second universal joint 69 rigidly connected with a short shaft l0 journalled by anti-friction bearings in a bearing support sleeve 39a secured to the plate 39 which is supported by the heavy shaft 35, as described. The shaft is drivingly connected with the shaft 46 of the endless conveyor belt 44 such driving connection being effected by sprockets 'll and l2 rigidly mounted on the shafts l0 and 46 respectively, and connected together by a chain 13.

In the preparation for operation of my iniproved apparatus, the jack 42 is adjusted for moving the swivel conveyor vertically to the desired angular position. Fluid under pressure is then admitted to one or the other of the flexible connections 5l' or 58 as may be required for causing the conveyor to swing to the desired angular position horizontally, whereupon the machine is ready for action.

This preliminary adjustment of the parts is effected without disturbing the adaptability of the machine for operation. When the swivel conveyor is swung either upwardly or downwardly, or is swung horizontally in either direction to the desired angular position with respect to the elevating conveyor, the short shaft 'f8 carried by the swivel conveyor at one side of the machine is maintained at all times in proper driving relationship to the short shaft 63 carried by the platform 25 on the loader at the opposite side of the machine. The changes in the angular positions of the shafts 63 and 'l with respect to each other as brought about by the adjustments of the swivel conveyor with respect to the loader are small enough that the drive through the two connected universal joints is maintained at all times smooth and effective for efficient operation of the machine including the swivel conveyor, even when the conveyor is moved to the limit of its adjustment either vertically or horizontally. Any change in the distance from one universal joint to the other is taken care of automatically by the longitudinally-eXtensible connection comprising the parts 66, 6l and 68 as above described.

By the use of my invention, a Very useful and desirable construction is produced, without the use of complicated structures or structural arrangements; my improved structure being readily understandable and easily controlled by the workers handling this type of machinery. The parts are simple to manufacture and are easy to maintain in proper working condition, and highly effective results have been obtained by the use of the improved construction.

Certain features of the drive mechanism for the conveyor are disclosed and claimed in my copending application Serial No. 314,303, filed Oct/ober 11, 1952, for Swivel Conveyors and Means for Mounting and Driving the Same.

While I have illustrated a preferred embodiment of my invention, many modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, and I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction set forth, but desire to avail myself of all changes within the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In an apparatus of the type described, the

combination of a conveyor for carrying materials longitudinally of the apparatus into elevated position thereon, a second conveyor swingingly mounted on a vertical axis with its receiving end positioned underneath the delivery end of said first-named conveyor, upwardly-positioned side board members pivotally mounted on axes extending longitudinally of said second conveyor and normally held yieldingly in raised position, and means adapted when said second conveyor is swung toward one side to give the side board member at that side a swinging movement downwardly out of the way against the action of the resilient holding means.

2. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination of a conveyor for carrying materials longitudinally of the apparatus into elevated position thereon, a second conveyor swingingly mounted on a vertical axis with its receiving end positioned underneath the delivery end of said first-named conveyor, upwardly-positioned side board members pivotally mounted on axes extending longitudinally of said second conveyor and normally held yieldingly in raised position, and means adapted by engagement with the inner face of the pivotally mounted side board member at one side of said second conveyor to give said side board member a downwardly and outwardly swinging movement out of the Way against the action of the resilient holding means when said second conveyor is given a substantial swinging movement toward that side of the apparatus.

3. In an apparatus of the type described, the combination of a conveyor for carrying materials longitudinally of the apparatus and into elevated position thereon, a turntable rotatably mounted on a vertical axis on said apparatus, a second conveyor pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on said turntable, upwardly positioned side board members pivotally mounted on axes extending longitudinally of said second conveyor and normally held yieldingly in raised position, means for giving said second conveyor swinging movements about the axis of said turntable, and arms carried by said machine at opposite sides thereof in position to engage the side board member at either side of the apparatus when the second conveyor is swung toward that side whereby said side board member is swung downwardly out of the way.

ROBERT W. KLING.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date Re. 10,208 Reeves Sept. 26, 1882 464,530 States Dec. 8, 1891 471,743 Dick Mar. 29, 1892 1,401,909 Hurt Dec. 27, 1921 1,573,728 Manning Feb. 16, 1926 1,883,054 Stanley Oct. 18, 1932 1,908,434 Madeira May 9, 1933 2,232,081 Sloane Feb. 18, 1941 2,413,448 Hanna Dec. 31, 1946 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 367,645 France Mar. 15, 1906 

